The Historic Rebuff
How Workplace Drama Created Dentistry
Despite having a huge impact on your overall health, dentistry is uniquely separate from the rest of medicine. Your dentist never checks your blood pressure, and your family doctor won’t know what to do if you have gingivitis. The story of how this happened is filled with poor timing and petty office drama. In the early 1800s, there was no formal training to practice dentistry. Anyone who could pull a tooth could set up shop and call themselves a dentist. Around this time, a Baltimore surgeon named Dr. Chapin Harris developed an interest in the field. The more he learned about dentistry, the more Harris realized it was connected to medicine. He went to the physicians at the University of Maryland (U of M) and suggested adding a dental program to the medical school. The physicians responded by telling Harris, “The subject of dentistry is of little consequence.” Have you heard about Kids’ Day? Once a month, Briarfield Dental Care throws a special celebration focused exclusively on our youngest patients. The office is transformed with fun decorations, the whole team gets dressed up, and there are lots of prizes for kids who come in to join the fun. Plus, we have special spin brushes and offers on sealants and mouthguards only available during our Kids’ Days. Don’t Miss Kids’ Day
This curt response became known as the Historic Rebuff. Why were the physicians at the University of Maryland so dismissive to dentistry? It wasn’t because they didn’t care about teeth. Dr. Harris had unwittingly made his proposal during a huge struggle amongst the U of M faculty. The board of trustees had recently taken power away from the faculty and started appointing their own people. One of these people was Dr. Henry Willis Baxley.
Baxley was a professor of anatomy at U of M with an interest in dentistry. Baxley supported Harris’ proposal, but, unfortunately for Harris, Baxley had also been appointed the chief of anatomy by the trustees. The rest of the faculty saw Baxley as a traitor, so the physicians were probably so quick to rebuff Harris’ proposal because of Baxley’s support. Far from deterred, Harris, Baxley, and many other dentists in Maryland banded together and established the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery in 1840. This was the first dental school in the United States, and it quickly became the epicenter of the American dental movement. The American Society of Dental Surgeons and the American Journal of Dental Science were established soon afterward, further cementing dentistry as a unique field.
Through one act of spite, the Historic Rebuff, dentistry emerged as we know it today as a separate entity from the rest of medicine.
3 Things You MUST Do Before the End of the Year Goodbye, 2019!
We’re weeks away from starting not just a new year, but a new decade! 2020 marks a new chapter for everyone, but first, we
get overwhelmed by tackling everything at once. Instead, pick one area to really declutter. This could be your bedroom or living
need to get through the end of 2019. Finish this decade right by checking these three things off your to-do list.
room, or it could be something smaller, like the hall closet or
that one drawer in your kitchen. Banish some clutter and start the year a little lighter.
Write a gratitude list. It’s a time for New Year’s
Use your dental benefits. If you spent all year paying into your dental benefits and never used them, you’re basically throwing money away. Dental insurance and
Nov. 21 - Border Battle (OSU vs. MI) Dec. 27 - New Years Party
resolutions, and many people get hung up on what they didn’t accomplish this year. Instead, put yourself in a more positive mindset and take some time to reflect on what
Jan. 20 - Disney Day Feb. 17 - Circus Day
Congratulations to Brayden! Brayden had his name drawn and won a Crest + Oral B Fun Pack. The fun pack has an electric toothbrush, toothpaste, anti- Kids Club Winner:
HSA benefits don’t roll over into the new year. If you don’t use them, you lose them. This is your last chance to get your money’s worth and finally take care of those dental woes you’ve been putting off for the last 11 months. Fix that filling, ask about dental implants, or maybe even get your teeth whitened! Call 419-866-6985 today and talk to your dentist about how to use your benefits to start 2020 with a healthy, happy smile.
made you smile this year. Sit down and physically write down everything you’re grateful for from 2019. Did your son or daughter get married? Did you start an awesome new job? Did a family of cardinals make their home in your backyard last spring? No gratitude is too small. Deep-clean at least one area of your house. It’s been over six months since your big spring- cleaning session. There are probably parts of your house that could use a little TLC. Don’t let yourself
cavity fluoride, and floss picks — all designed to support healthy dental hygiene!
419-866-6985 · www.briarfielddentalcare.com · 3
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs